Businesses step up for Fort McMurray auction

Cape Breton Post

Published: May 13, 2016 at midnight

Updated: Oct 02, 2017 at 11:38 a.m.

SYDNEY - Eileen Lannon Oldford says she's overwhelmed by the generosity of Cape Breton businesses who have been donating items for a silent auction to be held Sunday in conjunction with the Fort McMurray benefit concert at Centre 200.

With everything from gift certificates to works of art and handbags, Eileen Lannon Oldford, chief executive officer of Business Cape Breton, admires some of the donations coming in for Sunday's silent auction being held to raise money for those affected by the Fort McMurray wildfires.

"I am really humbled," said the chief executive officer of Business Cape Breton on Friday. "I can tell you that from the generosity of the businesses throughout Cape Breton it's just phenomenal what people are stepping up to the plate to offer to support this cause and it is a real credit to the mayor (Cecil Clarke) of the Cape Breton Regional Municipality to have organized and brought everyone into this process to make this happen for family and friends of people from Fort Mac."

If you walked into the reception area of the Business Cape Breton office on Kings Road on Friday, you would have seen some of the items that had been arriving all week, including gift certificates, designer purses, art and even a stainless steel heron created by artist Gordon Kennedy.

"It's truly a movement of spirit by people who are here in the business community and the public is certainly going to respond to that by supporting and going to the silent auction," said Lannon Oldford

Tickets went on sale Tuesday for Givin' Back To The Mac Fort Mac Benefit Concert, with between 5,000 and 5,500 tickets sold in less than four days.

The show features Matt Minglewood, the Barra MacNeils, Bruce Guthro, the Men of the Deeps, Aaron Lewis, Jordan Musycsyn and the MacArthur Dancers. Bette MacDonald and Maynard Morrison will be the host and MC of the event.

Doors open at 6 p.m. and the show begins at 7 p.m.

All proceeds from Sunday's event are going toward relief efforts for Fort McMurray.

Silent Auction items

• Mayflower Mall: $1,000 gift certificate

• Headings Flooring: area rug

• Burke's Brandsource Furniture: recliner

• Gordon Photographic: Cape Breton canvas 20x24 print w/signed book

• Majestic Entertainment: 10 tickets/10 meals LobsterFest

• Bruce MacKinnon original cartoon (autographed) from the Chronicle Herald